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My local welding supplier gave me a total price -- with the spool gun and the TIG outfit -- that was about $70 higher than the best price I could find online. It was basically the sales tax he had to charge. But, I decided I felt better about buying it from a local company, especially if I have problems in the future. It arrived at the supplier 2 days after I ordered it and he called me to tell me it was ready. Drove down the road to pick it up (about 4 miles) and he loaded it on the back of my truck. Then he loaded on a 10lb spool of MIG wire, a package of TIG 'wire', a 1lb spool of aluminum wire, a full cylinder of argon and one of Argon/CO2. I said how much for all that?? He said, don't worry about it, it's stuff you need to get started. I said the only thing you didn't give me was stick electrodes, thank you so much!! He said you're right and went in and got a 10lb box of 7012. I was only kidding because I am taking a welding class at the local votech (thanks to the VA's VRAP program) and the only thing I have done so far is stick. I think it worked out better paying the higher price and buying locally!!

If that is the sort of service you get from your local welding supplier, I'd be a customer there for life if I were close by.
I bought a MM252 a few months ago along with 10lbs of wire and the welder cover and the shop I drove 45 miles to wouldn't even throw in a cheap container of nozzle dip (I purchased it). A couple grand spend and not a single freebe.
Retailers around here don't realize how much business they loose due to service sometimes. When I buy an auto-darkening hood later this year, I will be buying online since what is the point of paying sales tax if the service is not there.

If that is the sort of service you get from your local welding supplier, I'd be a customer there for life if I were close by.I bought a MM252 a few months ago along with 10lbs of wire and the welder cover and the shop I drove 45 miles to wouldn't even throw in a cheap container of nozzle dip (I purchased it). A couple grand spend and not a single freebe. Retailers around here don't realize how much business they loose due to service sometimes. When I buy an auto-darkening hood later this year, I will be buying online since what is the point of paying sales tax if the service is not there.

Well, I am an 'old man' just learning to weld for my own satisfaction. I had been into that supplier a couple times for items like gloves, leathers, etc., since they provide a 10% student discount for our school. It is also the place where the school buys all equipment and consumables. I had talked with my instructor about the Multimatic 200 and the ThermalArc 211i. He recommended Miller. I showed him the Internet prices for both and he asked if I had tried Wesco. When I said no he recommended I drop by and see what they could do. As I said above, all I knew when I bought it was that I was paying $70 more than I could have gotten it for online but was fine with that because I was buying locally. The freebies were a huge surprise when I picked it up. I was really shocked because I am just a newbie with no plans of welding professionally and never expected that sort of treatment.

If that is the sort of service you get from your local welding supplier, I'd be a customer there for life if I were close by.
I bought a MM252 a few months ago along with 10lbs of wire and the welder cover and the shop I drove 45 miles to wouldn't even throw in a cheap container of nozzle dip (I purchased it). A couple grand spend and not a single freebe.
Retailers around here don't realize how much business they loose due to service sometimes. When I buy an auto-darkening hood later this year, I will be buying online since what is the point of paying sales tax if the service is not there.

Beware buying online! You mentioned an auto-darkening hood later this year. I bought an Arc One auto darkening hood last year. They advertised it online as a digital hood. When I got it, it was not a digital! I sent Arc One 3 different e-mails about this issue. I have still not received a response! Beware online purchases and who you deal with!